1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lint roller assembly.
2. Description of the Prior
There are many previously known lint roller assemblies. These previously known lint roller assemblies typically comprise a handle secured to a cylindrical lint roller support. A tubular cylindrical adhesive lint roller is then removably mounted to the support such that the adhesive roller is rotatable relative to the handle. In use, the adhesive lint roller is rolled along a user's clothes to remove lint, hair and other debris.
The previously known lint roller assemblies have used a number of different means to rotatably mount the lint roller support to the handle. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,923 to McKay, the lint roller support and handle are separately constructed and then rotatably secured together. One disadvantage of this type of previously known lint roller assembly, however, is that the rotatable connection between the handle and lint roller support is subjected to mechanical wear and tear and, ultimately, mechanical failure.
A still further disadvantage of this type of previously known lint roller assembly is that both the handle and the lint roller support were separately molded from plastic and then assembled together. As such, two different molding cavities were required for each lint roller assembly, i.e. one cavity for the lint roller support and a second cavity for the handle.
Still other types of previously known lint roller assemblies such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,5577,011 to Sartori, utilize a unitary lint roller handle and lint roller support. These previously known lint roller assemblies, however, require a complex and, therefore, expensive mold design in order to mold the lint roller handle and support. Furthermore, a relatively large frictional engagement between the lint roller and the lint roller support oftentimes interfered with the desired free rotation of the lint roller about the lint roller support.